HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM!

This weekend Whit and I traveled to Chattanooga to celebrate his nephew Sam's first birthday!! Sam had a pool party and all his little friends came over and played in the kiddie pool...played in the sandbox...on the swing set....and of course had great birthday cake! There is something so fun about seeing a little one have cake for the first time....its like this whole new world has just opened up in front of them! Sugar!! He somewhat stiff armed the cake at first...not wanting to have anything to do with it...but soon enough got a little taste and then the digging in began!

Whit and I got him the Little Peoples "farm" set. Have you seen these people. They are just so dagum cute. We also got him a shirt that is grayish black and says The Beatles. We had to. He will always know that this shirt came from his uncle whit...I mean all music derived from The Beatles...right whit!?:)

Here are a few pictures that I took at the par-tay.

Sam with his little birthday outfit on!

Cute little hands...

Lesley and Sam...playing in his new sandbox.

Birthday ride around the yard!

He was not having anything to do with that cake....

He soon realized the goodness...

This is one of the only ages where it is socially acceptable to swim naked...

Sam we are so grateful that you are in our lives!! You are a joy!!

What's Love Got To Do With It.

A few weeks ago Whit and I were driving somewhere and he had a new cd playing in his car. Now this was odd because I usually have full control over the music while sitting in the passenger seat. (Okay. Those who know me well can stop laughing now.) I do have a control issue in this area. I can openly admit it. Whit and I like to play this little game where I pick out a cd and I say, "Don't Look!" "Seriously, Don't Look!", "You're Looking!". He says, "I promise! I'm Not Looking!". Then I pick a cd out....and he guesses which one I chose. Now when he gets it right....well of course he was looking. But sadly I usually choose the same three. He needs to switch his cd's out more....but I usually either choose....Andrew Peterson...Far Country(if you don't own this cd or know who Andrew Peterson is you need to stop whatever you are doing...well finish the blog....and then stop and go buy this cd. amazing.). John Mayer...Heavier Things, or this newer group called The War...there is no political agenda behind that name.:) SO. Long story short. This one particular day he was playing his selection and I asked who it was...He said...Andy Gullahorn. Who?! Andy Gullahorn. Oh. (Blank Stare) No clue who that is.

Well since that day I have bought his newest album on itunes. Its called Reinventing the Wheel. It's a little folky. You honestly feel like he is telling you a story in every song. Like you are getting chapters into different parts of his life. There are those who tell stories and you're not quite sure if its about them or someone close to them or even no one that they no at all...but with his songs there is no doubt that he is speaking truth about his life. There is one song that really stood out to me and has been on constant repeat in my car and at my desk while I work. It's called "That Guy". I tried to look it up on the playlist site to post it on here but it was not in their system. But if you go to www.noisetrade.com you can purchase it for free...or of course you can download it on itunes. The lyrics of this song are extremely honest and convicting. Check it out...and then go listen to it.

THAT GUY
He scoped out the market
All the women and kids
With so many distractions
Nobody noticed him
Nobody noticed him

He had a jacket a size too big
A skullcap on his head

And a couple of homemade bombs

He duct taped them to his chest
He taped them to his chest

God loves that guy
God loves that guy

He followed his heart
To a co-worker’s bed
He could have salvaged his marriage with kids
But he chose to leave instead
He chose to leave

He thought it was love
But it was just a mirage
So he sits in his idling car
Parked in a closed garage
Inside a closed garage

God loves that guy
God loves that guy

Me on the other hand
I can write somebody off

Like the last check for a student loan
I can love when it’s convenient
But it’s not always convenient
It’s not always the easy road

I want to look past the outside to the well-meaning heart
To the good they forgot that they had
Teach me to love, teach me to love
Teach me to love like that

He messed up again
Wanted to disappear
But he can’t ‘cause he’s easy to find
I see him in the mirror
I see him in the mirror

God loves that guy
God loves that guy
Teach me to love, teach me to love
Teach me to love like that
Love like that


The past two weeks have been big for our country as we all sit around our tv's watching speech after speech. We listen to their thoughts...concerns....likes and dislikes. We all make decisions on how we view this candidate or that candidate....we watch the people in the crowd and either find someone who we resonate with or those we find harder to understand. If I can be honest I don't really like this time of year. I would honestly rather just get it over with. When the finger pointing starts I start to feel very uneasy. Conversations are had between friends, co-workers, families and lines are drawn in the sand. You can either side with me or you just might be wrong. We all are entitled to our own opinions... don't get me wrong. But I just don't know that it's as black and white as we would like it to be. But all that aside...while I have been watching these speeches the one thing that has been coming back to my mind is this song. God loves that guy. He is absolutely crazy about that guy. While we can sit and find fault after fault...and we can make remarks about his or her abilities or their true intentions...the same God that passionately pursued a relationship with me and marvels at my existence... loves every single person on that stage and in that crowd the exact same way...no matter what background...what party...what denomination...color...race...He loves them. Passionately loves them. That's the great mystery and wonder of Christ..that he loved while we were still sinners. There was nothing good in us. There is no wrong doing, mistake, or choice we choose to make that can change this truth. He whole-heartily loves us. No questions. No pre-requisite. We are called to the same.

May we choose love over the next two months.

Update on "Mission Desk"

So apparently if you write on a blog that you need things they will come to you. It's kind of like Oprah's vision board. Since I wrote my post about needing things for my desk I have accumulated some fabulous new items that I would like to share with you my faithful readers who entertain my ridiculous posts...like updates on "Mission Desk". So here goes it.

I found this frame that I had bought for something else and thought it would look great on my desk...I am putting the picture of me, my mom and Noah in it...until then we have a little message from the Lord.:)

This cute little pen holder is a glass from Anthropologie that my sweet, talented, loving, fun amiga Avery got me while in Nashville...it has the word "milk" written on it in different languages. I love.


This is just a staple. Grande Skinny Vanilla Latte.



Whit gave me this frame on "race day"...a picture from the day will definitely go in it. It also came from Anthro. Love that store.

Now here is the absolute winner. Whit gave me this today! I L.O.V.E. red candy. It is my favorite. Red Sprees being the ultimate fave. SO he filled a jar with lots of red candy! We have Red Sprees, Red Now and Laters, Strawberry Mentos, Red Skittles(ah!!) and Hot Tamales!!

And then if that wasn't enough...he gave me the left overs that would not fit in the jar and some of the other colors...PLUS red dum-dums and Smarties!! I have them in my desk drawer....I will now be known as the candy lady. I am now the children of this worlds favorite person...or maybe just the ones that come in here.

If you are not really a spree person than you do not know how the spree company rip you off with red sprees. For every red spree you get 7 yellow, 6 green, 5 purple and 4 orange. Basically you might get 3 red sprees in a package. Thank you Whit for buying and unwrapping so many rolls of sprees so that I could enjoy them on a daily basis!

SO those are my desk goodies. Thanks for all the ideas and then the gifts to follow!!

Hmm what else do I want....;)

It is Finished!!

SO. This morning I ran the Franklin 10K!! The days leading up to the race I started getting nervous that I wasn't prepared enough...that I would get to mile 2 and have to stop...that I would stop like 50 times...I had a dream that I forgot how to run!! This morning I just tried as much as possible not to think about it and just do it!! Let's just say it was pretty hard. There were many more hills( up and down..up and down...) than I expected...but I pushed through and finished in under an hour!! Darby was a huge help as she talked to me the last mile...we talked about everything and anything...!! Here are some pictures that Whit took for me!

Me, Darby, and Avery...this is before the race!! Getting pumped up!

Avery(one of my college roommates) and I!! She came to visit me this weekend AND ran the race!!

This was the starting line!! Crowded don't you think?!



This is like Where's Waldo! Where's Sarah!! This was us about to start the race!

This was the finish line!!

Darby and I at the very end!!

After the race! Lindsay was so moved that she was in deep thought with her eyes closed!

Whit and I!

All done! And Sweaty!